Winter to Fall
by Sailor Panda
Summary: [NejiSaku] Seasons flow and melt into the next and, along with them, so do the changes between one silver eyed genius and one would be medic nin.
1. Chapter 1: Winter's Beginning

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Written for the nejisaku LJ community challenge #1, theme: seasons. Four-parter for obvious reasons, unfortunate uber-cute sap alert. I know I really shouldn't have, but I had a reason. And that reason: I had lots and lots of sugar beforehand.

What? Never said it was a _good_ reason, now did I?

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Chapter 1: Winter's Beginning 

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There were some things that began in spring.

Some things that began in summer.

And some that began in fall.

However, there were four seasons known widely in the world, though some places felt the changes they brought more strongly than others. And there were also some things, every once in a while, when -

Winter was the start of it all.

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It began with snow.

Snow was cold and fourteen-year-old Neji hated the cold. So Neji also didn't care for snow. But Neji wanted to be stronger than he was and, to do that, he needed to train. And because he needed to train, even though he hated the cold and the snow that covered the ground and the trees, he ventured out into the winter weather in order to be a step closer to his goal.

When Neji wanted to train, as with many other things, he often preferred to do it alone. While his other peers were laughing and having fun and playing with one another, taking a break from the drudgery of it all in the sameness of winter, Neji ignored all of that and them for the sake of achieving his goal. And as he walked, eyes straight ahead and focused on his goal, he could hear once again the sounds of his peers in the distance laughing and having fun and playing while he ignored them and walked on and –

_SPLAT!_

Suddenly he froze.

The sounds he'd earlier heard went eerily silent as he slowly turned. Snow was cold and wet as it slid from the side of his head and over his shoulder and down until it plopped to the ground.

Other than that, there was no sound.

In that soundless quiet, Neji continued to turn. And when he finished turning, before his gaze he saw a scattered row of silent and familiar faces. And in those silent familiar faces, there was –

Horror.

Horror and fear.

And then, amidst the horror and fear within the silent and staring familiar faces that were scattered in the soundless quiet of the snow –

There was a sound.

It was a tiny sound that usually might not have been heard. But because everything and everyone was so very, very quiet, that tiny sound _was_ heard. And that tiny sound that was heard was made –

By a girl.

But not just any girl.

It was a girl that Neji knew. Or should have known. He couldn't quite put a name to the familiar face, pale and guilty and so obviously the owner of some of the fallen snow that had slipped beneath his clothes and was wetly sliding down his back. And as she trembled beneath his silent staring glare, he tried to put a name to the face he probably should have already known.

Hakura? Sakuno? No. That didn't sound quite right either. There was something that teased on the edge of his memory, something to do with pink and green. Wasn't it something that had to do with flowers and spring? Haruno?

Ah, that's right. He remembered now.

Haruno Sakura.

Whispers, rumors, memories trickled back to him. Uzumaki Naruto. That traitor Uchiha Sasuke. The Fifth Hokage training her successor to be one day possibly better than she. He stared at the pale and trembling form before him and thought the last certainly couldn't be true for to secede the trainer, the trainee had to be good and this possible trainee certainly didn't look good. And while Neji stared at her as he thought, the tiny sound that was heard before in the soundless quiet was heard once again.

She gulped.

Then she stuttered.

"S-Sorry, Neji-san! I didn't mean to. But…Lee-kun ducked!"

"Sakura-san!"

"Sorry, Lee-kun."

From his peripheral vision Neji saw his comrade in green shuffle further out of sight behind a tree. And from his peripheral vision, he also saw other figures seek further shelter behind other trees. And the only one who was _not_ in his peripheral vision seeking shelter behind a tree…

Was staring directly back at him.

Another gulping sound was heard. "D-Do you want to join us, Neji-san?"

Several sudden scattered gasps were heard.

And silver eyes narrowed. "No."

This time, several relieved scattered sighs were heard.

And then the girl called Sakura frowned. "Why not?"

Muted moans and horrified groans followed those sighs and her words. Though Neji heard those moans and groans, his attention remained fixed on the girl who was pale and trembling but tilting her chin up in a stubborn angle as she appeared to be trying to stare him down. And, staring at that stubbornly angled chin, one word rang loud and clear in his mind.

Trouble.

Trouble he didn't like.

Trouble he didn't want.

Trouble he didn't need.

And because Neji didn't like, want, or need the trouble that his immediate instincts told him would come from this pale and trembling and possible trainee, he decided not to further waste his time and to refocus on his goal. So Neji turned away without another wasteful word and concentrated hard on resuming his path to his goal but –

_SPLAT!_

Neji froze.

Apparently, he had been concentrating a little _too_ hard.

Several sudden scattered gasps were heard once again across the snow. But, this time, they were nearly drowned out by what was becoming an unfortunately all too familiar voice that had lost its trembling in favor of saccharine sweetness.

"Neji-san! I'm sorry. I was so _sure_ you would have avoided _that_ one. I guess maybe you need to brush up a little more on your ninja skills after all."

Muted moans and horrified groans followed those words. Though a disbelieving Neji heard those moans and groans, his attention remained fixed on the girl who he saw was no longer pale and trembling once he fully turned back to her while snow once more dropped from his hair to the ground in little broken plops. That girl's frown had turned into a scowl and her stare into a glare, challenging and combative as she reached down and scooped up yet more snow.

Silver eyes narrowed suspiciously as more moans and groans sounded in the background. But Neji was ready, mentally preparing himself as he watched the hands of the girl rolling the snow in her hands until she had formed it into a ball. His body tensed and prepared to avoid as she cocked back her arm and then let the snowball fly –

_WHAM!_

Right into the trunk of a distant tree –

_FWOOSH!_

That shuddered and groaned alarmingly and almost collapsed under the force of the throw but sent all the snow heavily coating its branches sliding and falling and crashing to the ground.

Surprised, Neji glanced from the newly fallen rather large pile of snow back to the girl who had thrown. And the girl, he saw, had a new ball of snow clutched in one hand while her other was fisted on a cocked hip as she met his gaze with a challenging glare and spoke in saccharine sweetness.

"What? You didn't think we were just _playing_, did you?"

Neji just stared.

"We're ninja, after all. Anything can be a weapon in the right hands. And I've been getting really good with my chakra control." She smirked. "Before was just a warm-up exercise. I think we're ready for the real stuff now. And you're welcome to join us…if you're not too scared."

Too focused, silver eyes glinting, Neji didn't even hear the moans and groans this time. "Child's play."

The words made her angry. He could tell by the way her skin flushed with emotion, her green eyes glittered before they narrowed, her hands moved, and then –

She disappeared!

Immediately on alert, he told himself to be on guard as he swept his gaze around but –

_SPLAT!_

He was too late.

Disbelieving once again, he had to turn all the way around before he saw her directly behind him. Baffled at how a possible trainee that hadn't seemed possible could maneuver around him invisibly, his gaze searched her features for the answer while snow sluiced off of him to the ground.

Knowingly or not, she answered his unspoken question.

"You're not the only one who is training to become stronger, Neji-san. We _all_ are. And you can train alone as much as you want, but moving targets and opponents will get you there a lot faster than stationary ones. Besides, since missions are done in teams, it's only natural that training should be done in them too." Her expression turned smug. "You should see what _else_ I can do with my chakra."

Curiosity was dangerous. He told himself to avoid it.

"And the others don't mind if you join either. Do you?"

A chorus of agreements, some sounding more resigned than others.

More people would probably just get in his way. He told himself to avoid it.

"See? No problem. Strong ninjas as an opponent help make more strong ninjas. And it's what we all want. Shared goal."

Idealism was hazardous as well. He told himself to avoid it.

"We should help each other. Use the strength of other's to strengthen our own. But…well, if you're too afraid that you won't be able to measure up against the rest of us anymore…I guess you probably won't be of much help anyway." Her smirk widened. "Then again, maybe even a _little_ extra help is better than none."

Pride was a weakness, a horrible parasite that had been the downfall of many a ninja before him. And he –

Unfortunately had never done well in avoiding it.

"So what do you say, Neji-san? Want to train with us?"

His answer?

He scooped up some snow.

And the girl called Sakura smiled and the other ninja came out from behind their trees, some smiling, some not. Those other ninja, some more familiar to him than others, began their own snow preparations in anticipation of the play-training to come. And Neji stood waiting and contemplating, unmelted snow still in his hair and on his clothes with more in hand as he cautiously studied a particular someone forming another ball of snow in her hands.

Thinking back, Neji couldn't remember the last time anyone had hit him with snow. Maybe no one ever had. But this girl in pink and red, this girl whose name he had barely remembered…

This girl named Sakura had hit him with snow.

And the snow began to melt.


	2. Chapter 2: Spring's Blossoming

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Uber-cuteness alert still in effect. No sugar this time so I have no excuse. It's just me, being me during one of my unavoidable 'cute' phases. That being said - two down, two more to go!

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Chapter 2: Spring's Blossoming 

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Spring was the next in the seasonal string.

And the melting of snow led to the showers of spring.

As the green of spring began to grow, so did the boy called Neji and the girl called Sakura continue to grow together. Konoha was a small village, after all, and the space they had to grow in was limited so they really had no choice but to grow together. Though it wasn't always a comfortable growing, for their outlooks on life and the seasons within them were very different, somehow they managed.

There were, however, some days that were better than others.

Sakura loved the spring and everything that spring brought. But spring brought rain and rain was cold and Neji hated the cold so Neji didn't like spring either. And it was on one such rainy and cold spring day that –

Neji and Sakura fought.

With fists, with words, they fought.

"That was weak. I thought you said you were improving." Caustic words spoken in cold bland tones. "So far, you haven't shown me anything new."

"Maybe I would if _someone_," caustic words spoken in caustic voice, "would stop running away."

"It's not running. It's called dodging. And a good ninja should be able to make contact with an opponent even when being dodged." A smirk. "Or _maybe _you need to brush up a little more on your ninja skills."

Teeth gritted and green eyes flashed at hearing the familiar echoes of the past that had been thrown back at her more than once since. But Sakura tried to control her temper because letting it go would be bad. Letting it get the better of her mouth as it had before months ago amongst the snow was what had led her to her current predicament.

Who knew he would actually accept her offer?

And keep on accepting it.

Which was why Sakura was currently where she was now for, though she didn't particularly like Neji, she didn't particularly dislike him either. And even if her recent training had already made Sakura strong, she still wanted to be stronger than she was. To do that, she needed to train and she couldn't do it alone. And because she needed to train and couldn't do it alone, she needed help. So, even though she didn't particularly like or dislike Neji, she had to admit that he was already strong and, because a strong ninja as an opponent helped make another strong ninja, she had wanted his help to train.

Now Sakura had Neji's help to train.

She had used the same argument she had that cold day in the snow, appealing to his pride and his goal. She knew Neji wanted to be stronger than he was and, to do that, he needed to train. And because he needed to train and she knew he preferred to do it alone, as with most other things, she argued again and again that a strong ninja as an opponent helped make more strong ninja and that he could train alone as much as he wanted, but a moving target and opponent would get him to his goal much faster than a stationary one he'd have on his own.

And so it was that Neji agreed.

Eventually.

It was fortunate that Sakura was persistent and that, though she loved the spring, she also didn't mind the cold for there were many times when Neji was as cold as the snow that he hated. Though Neji had been resistant at first, Sakura had kept up the argument that she knew that he wanted to be stronger than he was and, to do that, he needed to train. And as the best way of training was to do it with a strong opponent to become stronger himself, Sakura had offered herself as that opponent to help him reach his goal. Since his goal to be stronger was more important than his dislike of the cold and his preference to do things alone, Sakura had eventually gotten him to agree while winter's snow slowly melted into spring.

Now there they were once more as they had been other times before on a cold spring day in the rain, a perfect match. The best ninja among their peers at seeing the ways of chakra and the best ninja among their peers at controlling chakra. One strong opponent against the other, each had the other's weak point and in training together was able to work on those points better.

There were, however, some days that were better than others.

"Hey, Sakura. How much longer are you going to keep me waiting?" Caustic words in cold bland voice once more. "I don't have all day to waste my time."

"Patience," caustic words spoken once more in caustic voice, "is something a good ninja should be skilled at. Obviously you still need more work on yours."

"And a good ninja has the skill to make quick decisions in little time during a fight. Obviously you still need more work on _yours_."

Teeth gritted around caustic words. "I'm getting to it."

"Sometime within this century, I hope."

The temper Sakura tried to control because letting it go would be bad was something she couldn't control any longer. Her control snapped and she responded to Neji's taunt though her response was not in the return of words.

_BOOM!_

The earth shook beneath their feet.

"Missed. Sakura, are you getting worse at this?"

_BOOM!_

The earth shook again beneath their feet.

"Missed again. Looks like you need more practice with your aim."

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

The earth shook and trembled and quaked.

"You dragged me out into the rain for this? Hardly worth my time."

"_NEJI-SAN!_"

"I agree. My turn next. I'll take you down."

"Yeah, right! As if you could – I'd like to see you try!"

"Fine. Then here I go."

_FWOOSH!_

"Wha-!"

_BOOM!_

"Aaaaarrrrgh!"

_CRASH! THUD!_

"Sakura?"

Silence.

"Hey, Sakura? Say something."

Silence.

"Very funny. I'm not falling for it. So just give it up and say something already."

Silence.

"Sakura! Hey, get up!"

Silence.

"You aren't – ? Sakura!"

The rapid sounds of squelching steps traveled over the mud while the rain continued to fall on the cold spring day. And when the sound of steps stopped, Neji knelt beside the unmoving form of Sakura in the mud while rain continued to fall upon them on the cold spring day. In an instant, he reached out towards her –

"Gotcha!"

only to find himself suddenly on his back and a heavy weight pinning him down!

For a second, Neji lay unmoving in the mud while rain fell upon them on the cold spring day. But, as the vision of her grinning down at him triumphantly gradually penetrated his momentary shock, fury was quick to take its place and silver eyes narrowed in an ominous way.

"Sakura, you - !"

"Now, Neji-san," was the sweetly said words. "A good ninja should know when the enemy's faking unconsciousness." A smirk. "Or _maybe _you need to brush up a little more on your ninja skills."

Fury didn't even begin to cover what he felt.

"Uh, Neji-san…don't look at me like that. It's rainy and I slipped and then, once I was on the ground, it just seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. And, even if I messed up a little, it's still training and anything goes out on the battlefield, right?"

"And just _how_ often do you think I'd rush to the enemy's aid on the battlefield, Sakura?"

"Ah, well…you never know. You could be…you could be trying to help a friend only to have that friend unexpectedly turn traitor on you while your guard was down. I was just….um, trying to keep you on your toes."

"Well, I'm not _on_ my toes right now. Am I?"

"Eheh. Yeah, about that…if I let you up…will you promise not to hurt me?"

"I could. But I try hard not to make promises I won't be able to keep."

"Ah, that's not good. We're probably going to be like this for a while then. Er, hope that mud's not too uncomfortable. But, you know, I'm just as caked in the stuff as you, if that makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't."

"Oh."

Awkward silence fell.

Time leaked away and, with it, some of Neji's anger. After all, it was rainy and cold and since Neji hated both, concern for his comfort became more important than retaliation at one would-be medic-nin whose weight upon his was making things even less comfortable for him. And so the mighty Neji conceded.

"Alright, if you let me up, I won't hurt you."

Sakura started to smile.

"However-"

And then the smile started to wilt.

"-in compensation, you'll have to do it again."

"…huh?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, I did. But…do _what_ again?"

"What you did earlier."

"Which is…?"

"Are you really this dense?"

"Are you really trying to tick me off?" Green-eyed glare clashed with silver. "Because you're doing a really good job of it."

Silver glare clashed with green. "Your chakra."

"What about it?"

"When I thought you were knocked out, I was still using Byakugan. Your chakra pathways…they read like those of someone that was really unconscious." Caustic words in cold bland voice again. "I didn't know you were strong enough to do that."

"You know," caustic words spoken in caustic voice, "if that wasn't a partial compliment, I'd be a lot more upset right now. But since I was trying to keep it under wraps while I perfected it until I found a time to spring it on you in surprise, I think I pretty much accomplished what I wanted." A smirk. "You should have seen the expression on your face! I don't think I'll ever forget it for as long as live."

"Which might not be for very long," caustic words in cold bland voice again held a sour tinge, "if you don't stop gloating about it."

"Oh, come on! Do you know how often I'm able to actually get the drop on you? Frankly, I need all the advantage I can get."

"As long as you realize that."

"Hey, Mr. Ego. Better be nice to the person who still has you pinned down."

"Yes, that's true. And you know what?"

"What?"

The word had barely escaped her mouth when she found the world whirling around her in rainy gloom and blurred colors of forest. When her vision was set to rights again, her back was pressed flat on mud as rain streamed into her eyes while a heavy weight immobilized any potential struggles.

Silver eyes seemed to smirk down at her. "I'm not pinned down anymore."

"No fair!"

"_You_, I don't believe, have any right to say that."

"Jerk."

"Consider this equal payback."

"Fine. You've paid me back. Now let me up."

"I don't think so. Letting you up is another matter entirely."

"Neji-san, if you don't let me up…I'm going to have to think you're just as big a pervert as Jiraiya-sama."

"Do you think it's really wise to insult the person who has the advantage in this situation?"

"Probably not. But you're a bigger person than that…aren't you?"

"Not big enough to just let you go without getting something in return. If you want me to let you up…"

He leaned alarmingly closer in a way that Sakura couldn't ignore. There was no way to avoid it. Silver eyes loomed close, boring into her as his weight shifted on hers and mired her deeper into the mud. The heat emanating from his body was a stark contrast to coolness of wet mud against her back and the cold rain streaming from above to slick her skin. But that was almost nothing compared to the distraction of the warm puffs of breath that skimmed across her cheeks with his every low-spoken word.

"…you're going to have to pay the price."

Eyes wide and heartbeat unsteady, she gulped. "What do you want?"

"What do you think I want?"

"Uh, Neji-san? I don't think you realize…how you're saying what you're saying."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, boy." Her cheeks flamed as she struggled for the right words to get the point across without being too explicit. In the end, she settled for, "Didn't anyone ever tell you about the birds and the bees?"

She knew the exact moment that he finally understood. His expression didn't change upon that understanding, but there was suddenly a sense of frozen stiffness that seemed to seize him. And, suddenly, she was free – his weight was off and she could breathe easily again. Grateful, she closed her eyes and lay prone in the wet cold of the mud and inhaled a welcome breath that exhaled a sigh of relief.

Gradually, in the ensuing silence that held only the sound of rain, she became aware of something hovering over her. Knowing she couldn't ignore it, she reluctantly opened her eyes to register a familiar sight leaning over her, wordless and hand extended.

It made her smile.

But only a tiny bit.

She'd come to know some of his habits fairly well in the past months and, though there was no telltale blush of embarrassment as might be displayed by another male in the same situation, the stiff way he held himself and the manner in which his gaze was carefully trained sideways and away from direct contact with hers practically screamed his discomfort. Although she wasn't completely comfortable with the situation herself, his put her more at ease though she was careful to keep any hint of her amusement mostly hidden, knowing it would probably make the air between them even more uncomfortable than it already was.

But despite the trouble she had caused him, still he stood with hand extended. It said something, though she wasn't completely certain what that something was. Still, for someone like Neji to make such an offer…it wasn't one she could refuse. And so, she grasped the proffered hand in hers and for a moment there was only the sounds of squelching mud and rain hitting the earth as she righted herself with his help and couldn't help but think that –

Neji was sweet.

Sometimes.

And because she had come to know him fairly well as the seasons changed, she knew that if she were ever to tell him or anyone that aloud –

He would kill her.

So that was one thing Sakura couldn't tell.

"Uh…"

The sound she made to break the silence caught his attention. Finding herself suddenly held within a silver stare, she couldn't think of what else she was about to say. But then that silver stare dropped and, with it, hers did too. And then her eyes widened as she came to the same realization that he probably just had.

They were still holding hands!

And they immediately scrambled away.

Awkward silence fell.

Time stretched as they stood in the rain and mud on that cold spring day and quiet seemed to reign. But they were ninja who wanted to be stronger than they were and strong ninja did not let the situation win over them. So Sakura opened her mouth to speak –

But Neji spoke first.

"Let's do this again. I'm going to find a way to break through whatever it is that you're doing with your chakra."

Back on familiar ground, Sakura grinned. "Really bugged you, huh?"

A silver-eyed glare was answer enough.

"Heh. Sure, we can go as many rounds as you want. But I doubt you're going to get it today. You still haven't even figured a way around the invisibility trick yet."

"Don't sound so smug."

"Who? Me?"

"You slipped up before. You'll do it again."

"And how do you figure that, Mr. Ego?"

"Proof: You're covered in mud."

"So are you."

"By default. You cheated."

"Sore loser."

"You did!"

"There's only one way to end this. And if you can't do what you say you can, it's my win."

"No chance. A couple more times and I'll find it's weak point. I _will_."

"Don't think so. It'll take _more_ than a couple."

"We'll see."

"I guess so."

And so, glares exchanged, the fight resumed.

It resumed on that rainy and cold spring day in which the green continued to grow and what had happened before was forgotten or, at the very least, mentioned no more. Mud squelched, rain fell, and the sounds of fighting filled the air. And so it continued until –

Showers disappeared and the air began to heat.


End file.
